Archive for the ‘Episode 4’ Category

March 23, 2010

Season 2 Episode 4 Motivation

When watching this episode I decided to throw the past away and just pretend this was the first time I ever saw The Office. All my preconceived notions of what The Office should be, why I felt It was leaving the “purity of its birth” and all that BS that I was judging it on out the proverbial window. I just sat down and said it’s been a really long day, let me sit down and let these people make me laugh. Well I definitely laughed.

Think of this scene you’re at work, on your way to the bathroom and you see two coworkers kissing all nice and 80’s prom like. Now the girl who’s being kissed is someone that you’re attracted to, but never acted on that. A normal person thinks two things; one this is awkward get a friigin room, two shit I guess she’s not that into me. Not Gareth, he walks right up to them and first talks to Tim like Rachel is not there, “how can you go after a bird that I fancy?!?” really he calls her a BIRD! It doesn’t end there though he turns to Rachel and asks if she thinks he could still rate a hand job! That is funny it’s like an Awkward Five from Scrubs’ The Todd Awesome.

Then David’s motivational speaking gig (I am even willing to forget the fade outs, what fadeouts in a documentary?!?) that was amazing. More amazing because, gun to their head most people who never gave a motivational speaking course would probably go the same rout, your problems are not so bad and pipe in some inspirational Tina Turner. However, David out of his element going in to hyper overcompensating mode earring, tee shirt, and backwards cap trying to motivate business men out to make their first million by telling them to own their problems and remember Tina Turner’s Simply The Best, needless to say funny stuff. I only wish I could be a fly on the wall if my boss was ever in that situation.

This was one of the funniest episodes I’ve watched in a long time. However, it was also the worst episode of The Office that I have seen so far. The struggle between David and the trainer is epic, I loved it. The part where they are both trying to talk over each other is perfect. I almost cried when Gareth said his fantasy, the humor really kicks in at this point. For me it was like watching an episode in the 7th season of Friends, everyone has their rolls and they hit their marks perfectly, like good standup comedy. Unfortunately, also like the 7th season of friends some scenes are put in to move the underlying storyline of the general show, but it just doesn’t fit with the episode it’s in. by this I mean the Tim Dawn romance.

Don’t get me wrong, I know the inherent awkwardness of interoffice romance. I’m no stranger to it, I’ve personally been involved with them and I see coworkers fall in them all the time. I think it is an integral part of making The Office work, but half of why these situations are so tragically funny is because they are just below the surface and never right in your face. The hair thing, and the birthday cap thing, and the drinks that are always talked about but never happen are perfect. Real scenes with breakups and rebounds just don’t fit with the episode; you would need a different type of episode for that.

This episode was about David’s insane need for control and validation. That part was done masterfully, it was hilarious. I could not stop laughing when he pulled a Gareth and let the instructor do his job with David’s permission. but the funniest part is when he breaks out the guitar, and Tim goes “He went home to get it”.